1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of entertainment systems. More particularly, this invention relates to allowing users to channel surf through multiple sources based on user-definable preferences.
2. Background
A recent trend in the electronics and computer industry is the convergence of computer systems and more traditional entertainment system components. Such convergence allows an increasingly broad range of information to be made available for system users over and above the broadcast television programming which has long been provided via conventional televisions. Accompanying this convergence is the expansion of television programming transport media (e.g., the mechanism or “pipe” via which the programming is transported to the television). While analog broadcasts and analog cable were once the standard transport media for television programming, digital cable and digital satellite systems are becoming more and more commonplace. Additionally, other transport media, such as digital broadcasts, are starting to appear as options for viewers.
Using different transport media has increased the number of sources from which television programming can be received, and thus has also increased the number of television programs available for viewing. These increases are due to both the increase in number of transport media, as well as the additional bandwidth capabilities of some of the newer types of transport media. Additionally, other “local” sources (e.g., video cassette recorders) can also supply programming, thereby further increasing the programming options available to users. Furthermore, this convergence of computer systems and more traditional entertainment system components can result in different types of programming becoming available to users. For example, analog radio broadcasts or digital cable music broadcasts can be made available to the user through such convergence systems.
However, one problem presented with convergence systems is the ease in which a user can choose from the large number of programming choices available. While a user may have had a choice of a dozen local broadcast channels or 30-40 cable channels a few years ago, the additional transport media currently being used has increased programming options into the hundreds, and will commonly be in the thousands in the not-too-distant future. The time required for the user to “surf” through all such channels from a variety of different sources becomes burdensome, thereby reducing the user's enjoyment of the system. Furthermore, in many situations a user will simply be interested in watching and/or listening to the programming, and not be particularly interested in what the source (e.g., analog broadcast or analog cable) is.
Therefore, a need exists for an improved way for a user to surf through channels from a variety of different sources.